Ready When You Are
by DarkElements10
Summary: As Rocky spends his last nights at home before heading off to college, he takes the time to reflect on his position in the family.


**Ready When You Are**

 **By: Rhuben**

 **Summary – As Rocky spends his last nights at home before heading off to college, he takes the time to reflect on his position in the family.**

* * *

He had spent so many years up in the mountains at his grandpa's cabin, but Rocky Douglas had never heard it so quiet before.

There was usually some source of noise: arguments from his younger brothers, a shout of "Boys!" from their grandpa when they were acting up, or laughter. Now there was mostly silence. It was a bit unnerving if he was going to be honest. He was just so used to the noise. Now he could hear the birds chirping as they settled in for the night, crickets started to play their music, and the leaves ruffled softly as a gentle breeze blew through, bringing the smell of damp earth and fresh pine to his nose.

Closing his eyes, Rocky took in a lungful of the familiar scent, mixing in with the aroma of the coffee he had in his hands. Lifting the ceramic mug to his lips, he indulged in a long sip. The hot liquid—that tasted slightly bitter yet sweet with the sugar he put in it—slid over his tongue and down his throat, sending warmth through his body as it traveled into his stomach.

His gaze swept over the landscape of the property. Rocky could barely remember his first overnight stay at the cabin (his grandpa had moved to the mountains after his grandma passed away), but now it was like his second home. His gaze swept from the large tree; he and his brothers had spent countless hours climbing it, to the path heading down to the creek; a perfect way to spend a hot summer afternoon, and to the path that lead them to their training area.

Rocky and his brothers had all been trained in martial arts by their grandpa since they were really little. The area had started off small with a cleared out space to learn and practice katas and had grown over the years to include a running trail, a grassy area to practice tricking, and a throwing star range. Every summer he looked forward to training, and wished it would never end. Sure, there were times where he wondered if he really wanted to spend all his summers with his grandpa as he grew up; as a teenager spending his summer with his friends grew increasingly important, but he couldn't picture himself quitting cold turkey and leaving his training behind.

Now that he was heading off to university, he had no choice.

The cabin door creaked open behind him and Rocky turned his head to see his grandpa making his way out onto the porch, carrying a blanket in his arms. "Grandpa, let me help you," Rocky offered, setting his mug of coffee aside.

"Sit down, Rocky," Grandpa Mori said, waving his hand in the air. Smiling, Rocky lowered himself back down onto the porch. His grandpa slowly lowered himself down into a seated position beside him. "Ohh, these old bones." He unraveled the blanket and put it around Rocky's shoulders. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Grandpa." Rocky didn't want to admit it, but he had been noticing his grandpa had been moving around slower. His training used to be way more hands on, but now he often sat and watched as he taught. Pulling the blanket tight around his shoulders he took in his grandpa's profile.

He suddenly looked older to him than Rocky had noticed before. The hair on his head had thinned and was now entirely gray. His face adorned more wrinkles, making his left eye shut considerably, even when he wasn't squinting. There were times where he seemed to struggle getting up and down the stairs to his part of the loft or even in and out of the car. Hanging up the sparring dummy was something he used to be able to do in a matter of seconds, but now he needed both Rocky and Colt to hoist it up into the tree for him.

"Colt and Tum-Tum aren't killing each other?" Rocky asked, reaching for his abandoned cup of coffee.

"If they were, we'd hear it," Grandpa Mori replied.

Rocky laughed quietly. That was true. Colt and Tum-Tum could barely do anything together without it dissolving into an argument that he had to break up. How would they do that when he wasn't there? "I'm going to miss them," he said, breaking the silence.

Grandpa Mori chuckled. "I remember a time where you hated having them around," he said. "At first, you were excited about having a little brother or sister before Colt was born. Whenever I'd come visit, you would tell me everything you wanted to do with them. You so were excited to teach someone the way of the ninja."

"I remember," Rocky said, smiling at the memory. A minute later, his smile turned into a smirk. "And then Colt learned how to talk. Since then, he's never shut up."

He took another sip of his cooling coffee, and enjoyed the warmth of the liquid in combination with the blanket around him. Rocky wanted to offer it to his grandpa, but knew that he'd only be waved away again. Grandpa Mori taught Rocky and his brothers how to rely on themselves and their own instincts, and he was grateful for it, but when he was met with that stubbornness, it made him worry a bit. Would anyone be around when Grandpa Mori finally accepted the help he needed?

"Samuel!"

Rocky instantly snapped to attention as soon as his birth name was called. "Sir!" Sitting up straight, tilting his head back just slightly, he pressed his elbows into his sides, careful not to jostle the mug in his hands. He blinked repeatedly, feeling himself relax. He turned his head to find his grandpa watching him, lips pulled back in laughter.

"Guess I'm just well trained," Rocky said with a grin.

"Do you want to know why I named you Rocky on your day of names?" Grandpa Mori asked, all traces of humor leaving his face.

"Sure." Over the years, Rocky had wondered what exactly being described as "strong, solid, and cool as granite rock" really meant. As he introduced himself to people by his nickname, and they asked what it meant, he tried to really find an explanation coming to the conclusion that he ultimately didn't understand it himself.

"Colt may lash out more often, but there are times where I sense some deep anger in you," Grandpa Mori explained. Rocky's eyebrows lifted in surprise. No one had ever described him as an angry person. Calm, cool, and collected, maybe, but not angry. "You hold it in better, but it's still evident on your face. You have great self control. You have great discipline. You don't fight battles you can't win."

"Grandpa, I don't understand," Rocky said. He let out a sigh of annoyance. "Why can't you ever tell me anything flat out?"

"You do not learn if it comes easy," Grandpa Mori calmly replied in response to Rocky's evident frustration.

Rocky rolled his eyes before taking the time to finish his coffee. With a satisfied sigh, he set his mug aside, pulling the blanket closer around his body. There were times where Rocky liked how mysterious his grandpa was and at other times, like now, where it frustrated him that he wasn't being upfront. That was what he and his brothers loved about being with him, he didn't treat them like kids, he answered any and every questions they had. Sometimes, like now, in riddles.

"Just this once can't you tell me?" he asked.

"You already know," Grandpa Mori replied. "There are fights you don't take part in because you know you can't win them. That is the source of your anger. Anger I wish for you not to continue carrying anymore."

Rocky ran his fingers through his sandy blonde medium length hair, brushing his hair back off his forehead before it flopped back down into his face. He never strayed far from the hair cut he had as a kid (with his cowlick it was hard to find any style that wouldn't leave his hair sticking up at odd angles) but allowed it to grow out the last couple of years. That wasn't the only thing he had changed over the years, was it?

He recognized, however, that it was one of the only things he could control _._ As the thought hit him, his shoulders dropped. He was going off to college now, no one knew who he was, or what kind of person he was. He could be the more outgoing, fun loving type of person but had the feeling that he'd still be the responsible one. It was just normal for him. It was what his parents taught him to be and needed him to be all these years.

With his father working dangerous cases as an FBI agent and there were nights over the years where he didn't come home because he was covering a case. He saw how much of a strain it put on his mom who chose to stay at home to take care of their three boys so he took it upon himself to make sure Colt and Tum-Tum got played quietly, got their homework done, and was ready for bed all without disturbing her.

Sometimes, he really hated being responsible. Why couldn't there be a time in his life where he didn't have to worry about anything or anyone else but himself? On the one hand, he was always happy to know that he could make things easier for everyone around him, but on the other hand, it was frustrating that he was so quick to push his own thoughts, feelings, and personal responsibilities aside. How long had it been since he showed his frustration of his dad barely being around most times?

Rocky's lips flattened before he sucked his bottom lip into his mouth. His father was not a topic he thought they would be talking about on his last visit before the next time he was in town. However, his grandpa was the one that always heard "Why doesn't dad" this and "why won't dad" that every time they visited.

"I've tried talking to dad before, Grandpa," Rocky replied.

He's tried talking to his dad plenty of times, but was often told that it "wasn't the right time", or that he was "swamped with work", or he was "too tired" and wondered if they could "talk later." So Rocky just took his job as the oldest brother seriously and without much complaint. Or rather, he tried not to complain about it so much. It was a conversation, or in his grandpa's case a fight, he knew he couldn't win so bother bringing it up over and over again?

"So try again," Grandpa Mori insisted against Rocky's silence. " _Really_ talk to him. This is a new step in your life and you should both start it on the same foot. Tell him everything you've told me over the years. One day I won't be here and I'd like to know you and your father can be as open with each other as you are with me."

"Don't say that, Grandpa," Rocky said with a frown.

"I'm not saying it to be dramatic, Samuel," Grandpa Mori replied. "I say it because it's true." His upper lip curling on one side in his mischievous smile. "Let's see them try and take this old man without a fight, huh?"

Rocky sat in stunned silence for a moment before he started laughing, his voice echoing around the darkened clearing. He couldn't see that far in front of him now that the sun had set. The lights from the cast a soft golden glow across the trees and dirt, marking a barrier around the property. Even in the darkness, Rocky knew every inch of the land.

"I'm going to miss you, too." Rocky took the blanket from his shoulders and placed it over his grandpa's lap. This time, Grandpa Mori didn't protest at the gesture.

"You know I always miss you boys when you leave," Grandpa Mori replied, patting Rocky's knee. "Sometimes it's just too quiet up here."

"I'm not too far away, I can visit anytime," Rocky suggested. "Especially on the weekends."

"Oh, I'm sure you'd want to see your parents more than this old man." Rocky felt himself frowning despite the gentle smile on his grandpa's face. He scooted closer to the older man and gently took his arm, resting his head on his shoulder. "I'll miss you, too, Samuel. I'm so proud of you. You've really embodied what it means to be a ninja and not only that, you incorporated it well with into aspect of your life. It has helped you grow into a handsome respectful young man."

"Mmm," Rocky hummed. "Hey, Grandpa?"

"Yes?"

"Let's just sit and enjoy each other's company."

"I always do."

As the time slipped further into the night, and the moon grew brighter and brighter, he thought back to when he was a kid at the cabin. He remembered when a night like tonight was peaceful, yet the sounds of the cabin settling would keep him awake for hours. It was the worst when he was at the cabin before Colt and Tum-Tum started taking lessons in the martial arts. Then, he would climb into bed with his grandpa and he would snuggle up against him, his presence calming him down and making him feel like he would be ok.

At this moment, as he sat side by side with his grandpa, he never felt safer.

* * *

There was nothing like the comforts of your own home even after spending some time with relatives. Moving twice because of his dad's job, Rocky understood. Trying to make each house feel like home, he understood. But a house wasn't a home without a family to live in it and, a lot of the times, it felt like his mom was the only one who raised him.

Jessica Douglas was a warm, kind hearted woman who would help anybody with any problems to the best of her ability. If a new family moved in, she would bake them a welcoming dessert before offering to help move or unpack boxes. She would stay after school with students to make sure their parents picked them up, and on a few occasions would even drop them off at school if, for whatever reason, they had no other way to get to school. That same compassion was evident when raising her three boys, being the parent that tried to keep the house calm, clean, well fed, and overall running smoothly. She actively listened to them and tried to work with them with whatever problems they had.

Sam Douglas Sr., Rocky's namesake was a great parent, Rocky couldn't deny that. He taught all three of his sons a various amount of topics such as how to think things through before acting, how to respond to school bullies without violence, how to play any and all sports they took part in, how to drive, how to take care of your car, and more. However, a lot of those times sounded like a lecture more than a time to learn. In regards to his problem solving, he would more often than not listen to whatever it is Rocky and his brothers had to say until he heard something he didn't agree with and then start to enforce his own thoughts on the subject.

Not that Rocky could blame him too much. It was like his grandpa said, "he was a busy man in a very troublesome job." He was bound to be stressed out and have a short temper from time to time. Working for the FBI, wasn't easy for everyone and Rocky was proud that his dad had taken on the profession. He was proud during every promotion ceremony he remembered attending. He was proud whenever he successfully closed a case. But it did get tiring to have him bring his "work voice" to a situation or to go through a string of days with his chair empty at the head of the table for breakfast and dinner.

Even now, as Rocky slowly worked his way through a piece of his mom's homemade apple pie (which he was sure he was going to get seconds of), he stared at the empty place his father left at the table.

"I'm sure he'll be here at any moment," his mom reassured him, tucking her graying black hair behind her ears before placing it back around the warm ceramic of her coffee mug.

He wondered when exactly it was when he noticed how tired and stressed she was at home, taking care of them on her own for hours at a time. The lines on her face and gray hairs were becoming more evident as the years passed by, and yet her smile and calm persona never did.

Rocky dutifully gave her a close-lipped smile before lifting another piece of pie into his mouth. Closing his eyes he chomped down on the soft and sweet crust, the taste of cinnamon flooding his mouth, the crunch of the apple mixing perfectly with the other textures. This, this felt more like home to him. His spirits would lift the second he smelled the warm apples baking as he stepped through the door after a long week of school coupled with a bright "Hi, boys," greeting from his mom before she descended upon them for a kiss on the cheek in greeting.

"There must be traffic on the way home."

"It's fine, mom," Rocky replied before sliding another bite of pie into his mouth. He indicated towards the slice on her plate with his fork. "Great pie."

"Oh, thank you, sweetie," Jessica replied, relaxing into a bright smile, taking her attention away from the earring she was twirling in her earlobe. "Would you like some more?"

"Yes, please," Rocky replied, pushing his dessert plate towards her. He made sure to give him a grateful smile as he set his fork down. Anything to make her feel better.

Over the years that meant doing whatever he could to keep his brothers' out of his mom's hair, distracting them from arguments, or giving them something to eat until they got old enough to do it themselves. Now, it was trying not to outwardly show his disappointment in response to his dad's actions.

"May I have some whipped cream, too?"

"Sure!"

Over the sound of the whipped cream being squirted out of its can, Rocky heard the front door open and shortly after slam shut. "Hey, dad," he called from his seat.

Footsteps neared the kitchen, one footfall falling slowly, heavily after the other as Sam walked with purpose into the kitchen. "Hi," he greeted with a tired sigh and an equally tired smile. He set his coat down onto the back of his chair, pressing his hand on top to make sure it didn't fall. "Where are your brothers?"

"Out with some friends," Jessica replied, rejoining Rocky at the kitchen table, sliding him his second piece of pie. "They'll be back tonight." She tilted her cheek upwards and accepted the kiss that her husband planted on her cheek. "Long night?"

"Yeahhh." Sam gave Rocky an apologetic look, crossing the linoleum flooring to the island. He quickly fixed himself a piece of pie before pouring himself a cup of coffee, joining the two at the kitchen table. "I'm sorry son, I tried to get out quick, but someone needed my help before I left." He used the side of his fork to cut a sliver of the pie before stabbing it with its prongs. "I rushed home because you said you wanted to speak with me and your mom? Sounds important." He slid the piece of pie into his mouth and chewed. "Mmm! Great pie, dear."

"Why thank you," Jessica said with a smile. She lifted her coffee to her lips, locking eyes with Rocky, lifting her eyebrows in a silent prompt to speak.

Rocky settled back into his seat, shoulder blades pressing hard against the wood. "I wanted to talk to the both of you about how things would be while I was gone," he said, talking slowly, choosing his words carefully.

Jessica slowly lowered her coffee cup back onto the table. Sam's cheek poked out as he stared at his son in mid-chew. "How do you mean?" she finally asked after a stretch of silence.

"I mean," Rocky trailed off, thinking about how he was going to word what he really wanted to say. It was a tricky subject; he didn't want to imply that they were doing anything wrong. At the same time, it would be even harder to leave if he didn't say anything. His grandpa told him to let it out and now was the time. "Dad, when are you coming home?"

Sam's fork made a loud _clack_ on his plate as he cut himself another forkful of pie."I apologize for arriving late, I know you had something important to tell me," he said, his voice taking on a defensive tone.

"No, dad," Rocky groaned, shaking his head. "That's not what I meant."

"Listen to him, Samuel," Jessica said, reaching out her hand to place it on her husband's wrist.

" _I am_ ," Sam replied, his eyes widening just slightly. He put his hands up defensively before gently pushing his dessert and coffee aside. "Go ahead."

Rocky straightened in his chair. He knew he had his dad's full attention and he was glad, but at the same time, it felt too little too late. Now that he was getting ready to leave the house he could have a one-on-one conversation with him even it felt like he had to set up an appointment to do so? Colt and Tum-Tum didn't deserve that.

"When are you coming home?" Rocky repeated. "You always say you'll cut back on your hours at work."

"It's not that simple," Sam replied, shaking his head. "You know I'm always on call."

Rocky closed his eyes. Bowing his head, he ran his hands over his face and up over his hair. Smoothing down the back of his neck, he let out a heavy sigh. "Could you not be?" Rocky asked, keeping his gaze on the table then at his dad.

Sam let out a heavy sigh. "You know how important my job is," he said, "every day isn't the same. One day I could have a light day and the other I could be swam—"

"Swamped with work," Rocky finished for him, "or too tired from work to do anything when you get home, or you'll just go to your office because it's not the right time to talk." Sam pressed his lips together. "So when _is_ the right time, dad? I just wanted to sit down and talk with you tonight and you couldn't even come home at our agreed time."

"You were supposed to be here a half hour ago, honey," Jessica commented. "This was important."

"I know. I'm sorry."

"I know you are. You always are." Rocky dropped his hands onto the table. "I know you mean it. Now that I'm leaving, it doesn't matter so much, but it matters to Colt and Tum-Tum. Are your arguments with Colt just going to get worse because I can't be the middle man for you two now?"

"Of course not."

"Then do for them what you couldn't do for me; just be there for them, dad," Rocky replied, finally looking his dad in the eye. "Listen to what they have to say about things going on in their lives."

" _Really_ listen to them, honey," Jessica said. "You only argue with Jeffery because you don't listen and understand where he's coming from." She patted his wrist. "I've always talked to you about your temper. The boys don't respond to anger."

"I just wish you were home more," Rocky explained. "If it's too late for me now, be there for Colt and Tum."

"They've noticed you weren't around as much as you could have been, Sam," Jessica said quietly. A small frown pulled at her lips. "It was always so lonely putting them to bed without you here, wondering if you would even make it home. And whenever you made it home, they'd be excited to see you until you told them you were too tired or needed to do more work. They just want some of your attention, Sam. That's all."

"A lot of the times we don't tell you anything because we don't think you'll care," Rocky admitted. He hated seeing the pain that briefly appeared in his dad's eyes before it disappeared.

Sam slowly nodded his head. "You know I don't mean to let my frustrations out on you boys," he said, swallowing thickly. "As for my job, I try to get as much work done as I can so when I _do_ get free time, we can spend it as a family with no interruptions." His leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the table. "I worry about you boys more than you know. I see people every day arrested for the worst things; I just don't want you to end up the same way."

"You know they won't, honey, we've raised them well," Jessica reassured him. She gave him a gentle smile. "You have to trust that what the boys are doing with their lives is right for _them._ Even if it's not what we thought they'd do or want them to do."

Silence fell between the three of them. Jessica went back to drinking her coffee, and Rocky and his dad continued eating their pie. "I know you're right," Sam said after a few bites. "I apologize for missing so much. The bigger our family got, the more I worked to give you all whatever it was you needed."

"We needed you around more, dad," Rocky replied. He pushed his last piece of pie around his plate before spearing it and sliding it into his mouth. "And Colt and Tum need that now more than I do."

"I hear you, Samuel," Sam replied, reaching out a hand to place it on his son's shoulder. "I do." His lips parted into a grin as he shook Rocky's shoulder. "Look at my son, all grown up. I'm proud of you, you know. I mean it."

"Thanks, dad." Rocky shared a smile with him before facing his mom. "And thanks for letting me practice this on you, mom."

"Of course, sweetheart," Jessica replied with a smile of her own.

Rocky let out a deep breath of air, feeling accomplished. He had a successful conversation with his dad that didn't result in any big blow ups. Maybe he was ready to leave after all.

* * *

Canyon City had certainly had seen its fair share of local scandals, and crime scenes over the years, despite it being named one of the safest cities in the state of California. For a while, it seemed like Rocky and his brothers (dubbed by the local media as "The 3 Ninjas") was at the center of it.

It wasn't that they went out looking for trouble, in fact, Canyon City had plenty to offer in terms of entertainment.

It wasn't far from the beach, Los Angeles, hiking trails in the Highland Mountains, or the Mega Mountain amusement park. In their local community there were plenty of activities for kids and families on the weekends and during school breaks. Spanish-style houses and buildings showed off the older sections of the city, especially downtown with the mom-and-pop shops, while the newer sections showed off a more modern design.

With everything Canyon City had to offer, it was more like Rocky, Colt, and Tum-Tum were involved in incidents just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. Or the right place, so to speak. Their ninja training allowed them to grow up to be stand up citizens, both in respects to the city and their school system, who could diffuse situations easily. It also taught him how to read all the signs of a situation.

And in this case, Rocky knew something wasn't right.

"I give you the opportunity to boss me around all day and all you wanted to do was sit here and eat pizza?" he asked, breaking the silence between himself and his brothers that was periodically filled with the sound of chewing.

Not that he was really complaining. Spending a Friday evening with his brothers, sitting on the roof of the Douglas home, eating pizza and talking was something he looked forward to every weekend. However, it was odd that now that his brothers had the opportunity to get away with anything, and Rocky wouldn't go into "Adult Mode" as they like to put it, and they chose to hang out at home. In all honesty, it was a little off putting.

"Yep."

"Pretty much."

Removing his slice of pizza from where he held it inches from his mouth, Rocky looked back and forth between Colt; who was sitting on his left, and Tum-Tum; who was sitting across from him.

"Who are you and what have you done with my brothers?" he asked. Using one hand, he reached up to turn the bill of his cap around to the front to block the setting sun from his face. The other slid the tip of his pizza into his mouth and he took a large bite.

Tum-Tum (who most recently wanted people to refer to him as "Michael" or "Mike") laughed, showing a mouthful of mashed up crust, cheese, pizza sauce, and pepperoni before reaching into the box nestled between Rocky's feet for another slice. Rocky's upper lip curled at the sight.

For someone who had matured into the fourteen year old sitting by his side, he certainly still kept his youthful energy. Whenever he was getting stressed out, he liked being around that energy. He couldn't believe how much his baby brother had grown up in front of his eyes.

As Tum-Tum lost his baby weight, he grew taller, rivaling Rocky's own height, and slimmed down in the face. Taking up football and wrestling at their high school, he gained the muscle mass needed for the sports which aided in his strength and sense of control over his body with their ninja training. Plus, it meant he could still suck down all the food anyone put in front of him which he clearly enjoyed. If he wasn't careful, Rocky would barely get any pizza before Tum-Tum ate it all.

"It's not a big deal," Colt said with a shrug, closing one eye against the golden light that fell over his face. He shifted his seated position on the roof of their home, planting his foot amongst the tiles.

It was a big deal to him, but Rocky knew that Colt would never admit it out loud. On the outside, it might not have looked like Colt had changed all that much over the years. He was still cocky, over confident, and quick to let his anger get the best of him given the right circumstances. But Rocky knew better.

Colt had chilled out a lot as he neared 17; taking a more laidback approach to life, he meditated more often, and had grown a passion for music. That didn't mean he wouldn't snap when pushed far enough. Rocky briefly wondered who would be there to hold him back from any fights, but at the same time knew that Colt would have to learn to get himself out of tough situations sooner or later.

"Ha," Rocky scoffed. "Yeah."

While it was annoying most times, Rocky had to admit that he liked having Colt as his number two. Rocky was more of a linear thinker. He knew what was right and what was wrong, and the most responsible way to act in any given situation. Colt on the other hand, was more of an impulsive thinker. He was the embodiment of ninjas using their environment to help them in a tight spot and could see things that Rocky couldn't see. In comparison, Tum-Tum was the most creative thinker out of the three of them.

The night that robbers had broken into their home to attempt to kidnap them, Rocky's first instinct was to call the police. They were only kids, they weren't equipped to handle anything like that. Their dad had drilled it into their heads many times, that they were to hide, call the police, and wait until it was safe to come out. Once they had convinced themselves that they could take care of the robbers themselves, Rocky was the one who came up with the overall plan, Colt made use of any household product at his disposal, and Tum-Tum used his love of food to create spice bombs to use against the intruders.

That was just one example of how well they worked together.

"Well, we don't have to stop doing this once I'm gone," Rocky commented. "It'll only take me a half an hour, tops to get from school to here."

"You won't be too busy with your new college friends?" Colt asked. He asked the question with a smirk (something he was becoming famous for nowadays), but Rocky could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

"I'll make time for you guys," Rocky promised. He took another bite of his pizza and licked the grease from his lips, "no matter what. Whenever you need, whatever you want help with, to the best of my ability I'll help you out. Whether that means driving home or talking on the phone. I'll be there."

"Seriously?" Tum-Tum asked, lifting his eyebrows.

"Yeah, seriously." Rocky nodded his head.

With his college only 20 minutes away, he was offered the ability to stay at home and commute to school. He had seriously considered it, but decided to turn the offer down, despite knowing his family would have been pretty happy with it. It would have saved his mom the tears she had been crying since he announced he would move out of the house (and since he got his acceptance letter), it would have saved his dad from acting aloof about his leaving , and it would have definitely saved his brothers from purposefully hiding his belongings so he'd leave it and they could take possession of it.

But, this way, he would still be close to home. He wouldn't have to worry about traffic for travel plans regarding holidays, and Colt could move into the room at the end of the hall and he'd finally get his own room. Plus, maybe with himself out of the equation, things could start to get better between Colt and his dad without feeling like he was stuck in the middle as the "good son" and the "understanding brother."

Being the oldest was really hard sometimes, but he knew he was the best person for that position. In regards to family matters, Colt got too riled up and was quick to jump on the defensive whenever someone's tone towards him turned sour. Tum-Tum, on the other hand, was a little too much of the "why can't we all just get along?" type of person; which wasn't a bad thing, but conflict resolution to him generally meant something along the lines of food. Rocky knew when to push conversations along and when to leave it alone.

Whenever his dad and his brother argued, Rocky could step in and have conversations with his dad to understand where he was coming from with his somewhat strict disposition. He could also be the older brother who could talk Colt down enough to listen to his explanation on what had made him frustrated and angry in the first place. Maybe the two could learn how to resolve their conflicts without on their own and not feel like he was taking the other's side.

"Cool," Colt said, slowly nodding his head.

"Yeah, cool," Tum-Tum repeated, still serving as Colt's parrot all these years later.

Rocky smiled to himself. It wasn't that long ago that Colt would always follow Rocky around, doing whatever it was that he was doing, repeating everything he said and getting in trouble together. Ultimately, that meant taking the fall for his younger brother whenever applicable. He was proud to see Colt doing the same thing for Tum-Tum now, even if they did seem to get on each other's nerves more often.

"I'll miss you guys," he said, getting to the point. Like always, he'd be the first to come out and say it.

"You're only a half hour away, Rock," Colt said with a snort. He rolled his eyes, a trick that Rocky had perfect ages ago. He wiped his greasy fingers on his jeans before planting his foot on the roof, securing him to the tiles as he stretched himself upwards to lie down on his back. "But, it'll be different without you here."

"Yeah, really different," Tum-Tum agreed, copying his older brother's movement.

Rocky closed the pizza box and handed it to Colt who carefully pushed it through the open window of his bedroom. He then carefully settled back against the roofing tiles, cupping the back of his head with his hands. Closing his eyes, he let out a sigh through his nose, relaxing under the cool evening air.

"Even if mom and dad, or my brother, are getting on my nerves or something, I can call you?" Tum-Tum asked. "Or whatever?"

"Ha, ha."

Rocky chuckled at Colt's sarcasm filled laugh. "Yeah, if you need to vent or just need someone else to listen to you," he replied. He lifted his hand in the air and waved it lazily before allowing it to drop back onto his chest. "I've been through it all with mom and dad. I get it."

"Sucks you won't be here for it, though," Colt commented. He quickly caught himself. "I mean, it'll just be different, that's all. You were always here."

"Yeah, I get what you mean," Rocky agreed.

"Hey, Rock?"

"Hmm?"

"I'll miss you, too."

"Yeah, me too."

Silence fell over the three brothers. Rocky didn't know what Colt or Tum-Tum were thinking of, but the quiet was welcome. It was becoming real to him now. He really was leaving.

"So, can we go get ice cream now?" Tum-Tum asked. Opening his eyes a crack, Rocky saw him pushing himself up onto his elbows.

"Tum, you _just_ ate pizza," Colt protested. "In fact, Rock and I nearly lost a finger you were shoving it into your mouth so quickly."

"I'm hungry, sue me," Tum-Tum said with a shrug. "Rocky said we could boss him around all day. The day's not over. I want ice cream."

"Well, _I_ want to try out that cookie place that just opened downtown," Colt replied.

Rocky pulled his hat down over his face, letting out a heavy sigh. He definitely wouldn't miss their constant arguing despite how used to the sound he was at this point. "Knock it off," he said loudly over his arguing brothers. He lifted himself into a crouch and carefully made his way over to the open window of the bedroom. "We'll just get both, you dorks."

"Huh, maybe Rocky should go away more often," Colt said from behind him. "He's a lot nicer."

"Yeah, and we get more food," Tum-Tum added.

Shaking his head in amusement, Rocky carefully stepped over the window sill and into Colt and Tum-Tum's shared room. He stood in the doorway, watching his brothers climb in after him. It felt like a lifetime ago that they all shared a room together, just like they shared everything.

He was really off on his own now. But it wasn't so scary anymore. No matter what happened, no matter what changed, he knew that he and his family would be ok.

* * *

 **A/N:** Just to clarify a few things: it is my head-canon that between movies 1 and _Kick Back_ , and _Kick Back_ and _High Noon_ the reason for the change in the Douglas houses was because they moved twice because of Sam Sr.'s job and the safety of the family. Maybe they no longer felt safe in their old neighborhood after the boys were kidnapped. Also, basing off the first house used (which I thought was a somewhat Spanish-style home due to the roofing), that the city would have Spanish-Style designs as well.

I have no idea where these movies take place either. Being in California makes sense, and I kind of/sort of know the location of shooting for these movies, but I don't think anything about the city name was ever shown. So, I just picked Canyon City. Sounds like a California town, right?

Thanks for reading.


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